Billhooks

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I'm in the market for a new one to possibly use at work if we end up getting some new waste ground that we're hoping to buy off the council

It's been a hell of a long time since I owned, let alone used one, so I'd be interested in any makes and models you can sugest, especially if there availabe on these shores

Thanks in advance

[Styerman]

You just want to do a rebellious peseant reenactment !

Chris

[Nikos]

Nah. He's probably filing for a druid and thinks of practicing with something more discreet...

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Tis true, I've got the ye old pantaloons already

[Sea Monster]

I don't know a lot about Druids, but I was under the impression it was a pantaloons-optional gig.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I don't know a lot about Druids, but I was under the impression it was a pantaloons-optional gig.

Pantaloons are for the reinactments

[nuphoria]

I don't know a lot about Druids, but I was under the impression it was a pantaloons-optional gig.

Pantaloons are for the reinactments

Do they make them long enough for you?! 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I don't know a lot about Druids, but I was under the impression it was a pantaloons-optional gig.

Pantaloons are for the reinactments

Do they make them long enough for you?! 

Probably not, but they'd make fetching shorts

[I'm Still Bison]

You just want to do a rebellious peseant reenactment !

Chris

Handy dandy thing to have around when the urge strikes to re-enact Wat Tyler's Rebellion

[rp252]

I don't know a lot about Druids, but I was under the impression it was a pantaloons-optional gig.

Pantaloons are for the reinactments

Do they make them long enough for you?! 

Probably not, but they'd make fetching shorts

Now its pink fluffly shoes AND short pantaloons...   oh dear...  :D

Not too clued up on billhooks sorry.  Whatever you buy make sure to stick a picture of it up in the Zombie choppers thread

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Now I was hoping for a sensible sugestion from you

Well it looks like I'm on my own on the picking side

[Hedge Kid]

To be honest, I couldn't recommend a billhook for clearing brush. They're quite weighty to swing around for any length of time. You'd probably be better off with your Kukri Mike.

I love billhooks with a passion but from an entirely practical point of view - they are virtually indestructable (yes yes even in my hands ), take a lovely sharp edge and maintain it, are strong enough to chop fairly meaty logs with yet light enough to make teeny tiny kindling.

If you're a fan of sharp and shiny then this may not be the tool for you. The only new billhooks I've seen have been flimsy cheap rubbish with plastic handles (the type that rip shreds out of your hands with sustained use). The best ones come from farm sales, you may find them in those boxes of rusty tools with no handles at car boots  one of my favourites got dug up out of a potato field  a new handle and a sharpen was all it needed before it was ripping through my kindling. They are built to last.

I can't remember where my absolute favourite came from. I had just the blade for ages, not really sure how to fit a handle but knowing that it was too good to let go. One day my extremely tatty old axe died on me and I had to dig out the old billhook blade, wrap the tang and use it  Needs must eh! It was bloody cold and I needed to get the burner lit. Anyhoo, my mate Tony, a 73 year old woodsman that lived near me at the time, spotted this dreadful cobbled together mess and offer to fit a handle for me. He brought it back with a chunky rough hewn handle that was far too big for my hand. I thought it was great that it had a handle at all when he pointed out that it was a first fit! He made me hold it and do some kindling, then took it away again. It took three fittings before he was happy with it...and I was over the moon. I had a perfectly weighted, smooth as silk, made to measure handle  It was a thing of beauty. I suppose it was my first modded blade 

Anyway, I'll drag myself out of the foggy past 

If your set on a billhook, I'd steer away from the double bladed ones - I find the second flat blade to be unnecessary for general use and it adds extra weight. It's also not clumsy idiot proof 

[Neil]

... you may find them in those boxes of rusty tools with no handles at car boots    ...

Or not    Speaking as someone who has been looking in those boxes most Sunday mornings for the last few years I am still without one.  Only time I saw one the guy wanted £10 for it (along with rotted handle).  At the time I was like  and walked away but I'm beginning to wonder if that was a daft move 

Neil

[Nikos]

Found this one. It's on a US-based site but it is of presumably Italian origin so perhaps some of our Italian members can help identify it.

[Hedge Kid]

... you may find them in those boxes of rusty tools with no handles at car boots    ...

Or not    Speaking as someone who has been looking in those boxes most Sunday mornings for the last few years I am still without one.  Only time I saw one the guy wanted £10 for it (along with rotted handle).  At the time I was like  and walked away but I'm beginning to wonder if that was a daft move 

Neil

The part of me that enjoys the 50pness of car boots finds that a very high price for what appears to be a rusty chunk of metal, however, the part of me that loves billhooks, would be tempted if the metal wasn't too badly pitted, there were no chips and it looked like it was redeemable.

To be honest Neil, you could put a new handle on it a whack it on ebay and get twice that for it!

[Neil]

... you may find them in those boxes of rusty tools with no handles at car boots    ...

Or not    Speaking as someone who has been looking in those boxes most Sunday mornings for the last few years I am still without one.  Only time I saw one the guy wanted £10 for it (along with rotted handle).  At the time I was like  and walked away but I'm beginning to wonder if that was a daft move 

Neil

The part of me that enjoys the 50pness of car boots finds that a very high price for what appears to be a rusty chunk of metal, however, the part of me that loves billhooks, would be tempted if the metal wasn't too badly pitted, there were no chips and it looked like it was redeemable.

To be honest Neil, you could put a new handle on it a whack it on ebay and get twice that for it!

Oh well, there's always another time.  Its not like I go just looking for billhooks

Neil

[Hedge Kid]

Found this one. It's on a US-based site but it is of presumably Italian origin so perhaps some of our Italian members can help identify it.

That's an interesting shape. Usually they have a longer handle to balance the weight of the wood. Which suggests that this may be a lighter weight type. The balance I'm referring to is more like this one: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SMALL-ELWELL-BILLHOOK-13-LONG-STAMPED-3902_W0QQitemZ190305913712QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Collectable_ToolsHasdware_RL?hash=item190305913712&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1683|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

Which looks like a little pocket billhook! Cute eh! It is also a good example of the blade shape I prefer. The ones with longer hooks are a pain - but like I said earlier, I use them as small axes - if you were brush cutting with them I suppose the hook would be useful.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Thanks Minty, I'm not after a shiny example, just a bloody good hard use tool

This one looks ok, but the cheapness is slightly worrying , I was expecting to pay at least double that for a good'un
http://www.capitalgardens.co.uk/v3/single-edged-billhook-p-20037.html

[Neil]

Excuse me going slighty off topic but its just dawned on me... I can still buy a billhook or a bloody axe on eBay but not a SAK... 

Please excuse me I feel the need to go and weep for a bit 

Neil

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Excuse me going slighty off topic but its just dawned on me... I can still buy a billhook or a bloody axe on eBay but not a SAK... 

Please excuse me I feel the need to go and weep for a bit 

Neil

I was just thinking that too

[Hedge Kid]

Thanks Minty, I'm not after a shiny example, just a bloody good hard use tool

This one looks ok, but the cheapness is slightly worrying , I was expecting to pay at least double that for a good'un
http://www.capitalgardens.co.uk/v3/single-edged-billhook-p-20037.html

It's cheap because it's tiny  The blade's only 7 inches.

The one you're looking at - again, the handle looks a little short. Have you felt it? was it balanced?

It's bizarre, I've been after another billhook for years but that one does absolutely nothing for me. Maybe it's cos I've never had a virgin? They've all been solid old giffers - not pretty and smooth but reliable as hell 

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

Next thing you know there will be packs of Billhook wielding Hoodies wandering about...

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Well back in the day a mate of mine had one and it was a fearsome tool (the billhook people ) and it out performed the Golok I was using at the time

But that was a proper tool, not mass manufactured junk, but that's all that seems to be available now

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Next thing you know there will be packs of Billhook wielding Hoodies wandering about...

Hey no diss-ing the burberry army

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

Next thing you know there will be packs of Billhook wielding Hoodies wandering about...

Hey no diss-ing the burberry army

...and then they'll be banned on ebay as well...along with extra large Spurtles...

[Neil]

Next thing you know there will be packs of Billhook wielding Hoodies wandering about...

Hey no diss-ing the burberry army

...and then they'll be banned on ebay as well...along with extra large Spurtles...

I think you'll find anything insertable is already banned.
    Oh wait it meant for food prep isn't it. My bad 

Neil

[Hedge Kid]

Next thing you know there will be packs of Billhook wielding Hoodies wandering about...

Hey no diss-ing the burberry army

...and then they'll be banned on ebay as well...along with extra large Spurtles...

I think you'll find anything insertable is already banned.
    Oh wait it meant for food prep isn't it. My bad 

Neil

 

[nuphoria]

I'm sure I'd rather be mugged by someone with a SAK then a billhook but hey, ebay know what their doing right?
Stupid funking bar stewards.... grrr..

I think you need a billhook Ms Kid, it suits you

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I'm sure I'd rather be mugged by someone with a SAK then a billhook but hey, ebay know what their doing right?
Stupid funking bar stewards.... grrr..

I think you need a billhook Ms Kid, it suits you

Well I think I need one too if your buying

[Neil]

I'm sure I'd rather be mugged by someone with a SAK then a billhook but hey, ebay know what their doing right?
Stupid funking bar stewards.... grrr..

I think you need a billhook Ms Kid, it suits you

Well I think I need one too if your buying

Neil